Vehicle-spring.



W. W. ANNABLE.

VEHICLE SPRING. APPLICATION FILED AUGA, 1905.

Patented (Jan. 9, 1912.

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fwzwmwm nume To all whom fit may concern: Be it lm own that I, WARREN W. ANNABLE,.

UNITED sTATEs-- PATENT oFEIoE.

WARREN W. ANNBLE, 0F GRAND BPIDS, MICHIGAN-ASSIGNOB T0 ANNABLE f PNEUMATIC SPRING COMPANY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORTIN 0F MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE-SPRING. i

Patented J an. 9, 1912.

4Applimation led August 4, 1905. Serial No. 272,728.

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of lMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Springs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptlon of the invention, such las will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle springs, and its object is'more particularly to prevent'the sudden and objectionable recoil or upward movement ofthe vspring after the same has been suddenly depressed, suchmovement being very objectionable, especially in vehicles such as automobiles running at high speed over rough roads, the springs of which will often recoil to such an extent as to project the occupants of the vehicleo the seats.

My invention consists of the combination and arrangement of a .spring ofthe usual construction, but of insuicient strength to carry lthe entire load and a supplementary pneumatic spring connected therewith' to receive a portion of the load, together with a tank to receive the compressed air from the pneumatic spring, a check interposed between the spring and tank to prevent thereturn of the air and a by-pass having an adjustable-stop therein whereby the air is slowly returned to the pneumatic spring after the` same has been depressed and in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will more fully appear by reference to the accompanying draw1ngs,in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention with the neumatic spring in vertical section; Fig. V2, the same with the springs removed showing the tank, air pump, and pipe connections, with the pump in vertical section; and Fig. 3, a plan view of the device as shown in Figs.'1 and 2.V

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the iigures.

*1 represents the axle of a vehicle, or other support for the springs; 2 represents a portion of the body of the vehicle, or the support for the same; 3 represents an elliptical spring of the usual form, but of less strength than required to carry the load; 4 represents the bed plate of a pneumatic spring or cushion secured by a necky 5 and lugs `6 to the lower part of the s ring 3 by means` of the clips 7, which cllps also hold the spring 3 in place; 8 represents a semil-globular, hollow, elastic body or cushion, preferably of rubber, upon which lssupported a bed plate 9 secured thereto by an Inner plate 1 0 and screw 11, this bed p late. being thus adapted to engage and ylel'dmgly support the upper part of the sp1-111g 3. The lower rim of this cushion 8 1s secured to the rim of the bed plate 4 by means of a rlng l2 and cap screws, thus forming an air .tight elastic body.

Extending from the bed'plate and with an opening therethrough is a hose nipple 28 to which a hose (not shown) is attached and extended to a corresponding hose nipple 20 connected to a tank 13 by means of a pipe 16. In this pipe is a check valve 1T to preventreturn of the air from the tank 13 18 is a by-pass connectinig the pipe 16 with the interior of the tank, and in this by-pass is an adjustable sto -cock 19 Whereby the air is permitted to ow more or less freely from the tank to the pneumatic spring.

To supply air under pressure to the tank, and to regulate the pressure thereof, an air pump 14 is attachedto the body 2 and proyided With a piston having an axial opening 21 in which opening is longitudinally ymovable the head 26 of a rod 22, the lower end of said rod being connected to the axle casing 25 or other portion of the spring support. A removable plug 27 limits the downward movement of the head 26 in the opening 21 and slides freely on the rod 22. A spring 28 surrounds the rod 22 and yieldingly supports the piston 'at its upper end and at its lower end is supported upon a vertically adjustablel nut ,24 on the rod 22. Thls pump is connected to the tank 13 by a pipe 15 and interposed in the pipe is an or mary safety-valve 29 set to blow off at the' maximum pressure desired and provided with the usual lever whereby the pressure may be reduced at any time by blowing oit the air through this safety valve.

.In operat-ion the vertical movement of the body 2in relation to the axle or spring support will'move the pump downward relative to the piston therein, and thus operate sol mined in the tank to various loads as follows: lVhen the pressure reaches the predetermined limit, the resistance of such pressure upon the piston `will compress the spring instead of forcing more'air into the tank. So also in the event of any excessive downward movement of the body, the spring will be compressed after the piston Ihas reached the bottom of the pump and `tank and pump mounted on the body of the vehicle, a rod connecting the spring support and the piston and movable longitudinally of the piston, and a spring engaging the piston to operate the same.

Q. In combination with a vehicle, a pneu-I matic spring, a pump to supply compressed air to the spring and mounted on the body ofthe vehicle, `a rod movably connected to the pump piston at one end and attached to the spring support at the other end, and a spring yieldingly engaging the piston to operate the same. y

3. In combination with a vehicle, a pneumatic spring, a pump to supply compressed air to the spring and mounted on the Vehicle body, a rod movably/connected to the piston, a springengaging the piston at one end, and an adjustable support for the other end of the spring.

4. In combination with a Vehicle, a pneumatic spring', a pump to supply compressed air to the spring and mounted on the vehicle body, a piston for the pump and having a longitudinal opening, a rod having a head at one end movable in said opening, said rod being attached at the other end to the spring support of the vehicle, a spring on the rod and engaging the piston, and an adjustable nut on the rod to support the spring.

'5. In a vehicle, a pneumatic spring, an air pump connected to the spring and mounted on the vehicle body, a piston having an axial opening, a removable plug to close the opening, a rod extending through the plug and having a head at one end andv traversing the opening, said rod being attached at the other end to the spring support of the vehicle, a spring on the rod and engaging the plug at one end, and an adjustable nut on the rod to support and adjust the spring.

6. In a vehicle, an elliptical spring. mounted on the axle and supporting the body of the vehicle, a 'pneumatic spring within the elliptical spring, an air tank connected to the pneumatic spring,l a checkvalve between the tank and pneumatic spring, a by-pass around the check-valve,

an air pump mounted on thevvehiclebody i and connected to the tank, a rod movably connected tothe piston of thelxpu'mpat one vehicle at the other end, and a spring be@ tween the axle and piston. 4

7.`In a vehicle,` the vcombination of an elliptic spring between'the axle and body and' of insufficient strength to carry the load,y a pneumatic spring auxiliary to the elliptic spring, an air tank connected to the4 pneumatic spring, a. check-Valve between said tank and spring, a by-pass around said check-Valve, an adjustable'stop in the bypass, an air pump connected to the tank and mounted on the vehicle body, a rod movably connected to the pumppiston and rigidlyv connected to the spring support of the vehicle, a spring engaglng the piston at one 70. v i end and rigidly connected to the axle of the f 

